Grips are known in the art for rotating, or moving, control and maneuvering devices, such as handwheels, which allow complete adjustment or moving operations in the most disparate application fields.
Automatic-release grips are also known. These types of grips typically have snap devices which cause them to disappear into the handwheels.
In prior art devices, the means to guarantee the automatic release of the grip from the handwheel consisted of torsion springs. However, torsion springs had the significant disadvantage of being too fragile, and consequently of easily breaking within a very short time.
Alternative devices have thus been developed, comprising compression springs instead of the usual torsion springs. For example, the Applicant's patent no. IT 1,149,640 concerns an automatic-snap, collapsible safety grip for maneuvering members which may be coupled, through axial shifting, in its maneuvering position, with the body of the suitably shaped maneuvering member. In particular, means for stake coupling with the handle are provided, which were coupled against the action of return springs, as well as unlocking means consisting of a counter-stake spring-loaded against the coupling of the coupling stake. This type of construction certainly solves the problems of quick wear of the torsion springs, but over time is susceptible to accidental jams, which prevent a full and effective collapsing action.
Although the above-mentioned counter-stake is provided to guarantee the lifting of the grip from the support and the consequent release thereof, once the operations on the hand-wheel have been completed, the grip often remains jammed in-side the support and a manual action is necessary to achieve the collapse thereof.
Accordingly, there is a need for a grip which is which is capable of overcoming the stated disadvantages. The present invention is capable of performing an easy, automatic, and safe collapse of the grip once the operator has completed the adjustment operations on the handwheel and simply releases the grip.